


i call you home

by timelessidyll



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A little, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, based off of final haikyuu quest lmao, cause you know blood mage, hallelujah i can't tag for the life of me please just read it, the only real relationship is kuroken fyi, there are some mentions of blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-27 00:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12569952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timelessidyll/pseuds/timelessidyll
Summary: Kenma shuffled through his drawers and carefully took out a tattered, old book, worn thin and oily by generations of fingers paging through it. Instead of doing what those before him had done, Kenma muttered a simple finding spell, using Natsu’s symptoms to fill in the blanks in the spell. The book fluttered through the yellowing pages on its own before settling on the result of the spell. Kenma frowned as he read through the entry, and Shouyou watched intently, fidgeting with his hands to let out his nervous energy. Once he was through, he closed the book softly and placed it back within the drawer.(in which kenma has to find a cure which requires a component thought to be extinct, so who better to enlist for help than tetsurou?)





	i call you home

Soft footsteps echoed through the shop, and Kenma looked up warily to see who had entered. His tense shoulders relaxed when he saw that it was Shouyou. Natsu was being carried on his shoulder, and he looked worried. It made Kenma anxious, and all of the possible worst-case scenarios started running through his head.

“What’s the matter, Shouyou?” His voice betrayed no emotion, but the worry was clear in his eyes. Shouyou grimaced, setting Natsu down on a nearby stool before replying.

“Natsu came down with a fever two weeks ago. It got worse pretty soon after, and she started vomiting after every meal. We haven’t gotten her to keep anything down except for water and some liquidized wheat. We couldn’t even make it taste good because her body rejected it every time we added sugar. Yesterday, blood started coming out with the vomit. Kenma, I’ve never seen anyone get sick like this, what does it mean?” By all rational means, Shouyou should have been hysterical with the condition his sister was in. But taking a look at the thoroughly exhausted and miserable young girl next to him, Kenma assumed it was more of a facade to support her rather than to reveal his true feelings.

Kenma shuffled through his drawers and carefully took out a tattered, old book, worn thin and oily by generations of fingers paging through it. Instead of doing what those before him had done, Kenma muttered a simple finding spell, using Natsu’s symptoms to fill in the blanks in the spell. The book fluttered through the yellowing pages on its own before settling on the result of the spell. Kenma frowned as he read through the entry, and Shouyou watched intently, fidgeting with his hands to let out his nervous energy. Once he was through, he closed the book softly and placed it back within the drawer.

“Bring Natsu back to the infirmary. I’ll need to attend to her immediately.” Shouyou yelped and scrambled to pick up Natsu and follow close behind. He shifted restlessly after setting his sister on one of the cots, staring at Kenma’s white robed figure walk purposefully back and forth across the bay, searching for ingredients and materials. His aura had become somber, and Shouyou was reluctant to break the silence. But he needed to know what was happening, and how it might affect Natsu. He looked at her milky pale face, the bright, bouncy curls that defined her and enhanced her personality a dull shade of orange, quickly before returning his gaze to Kenma, who was now at the lab table on the far side of the room, crushing and grinding herbs with a mortar and pestle while glancing at the boiling pot of water every now and again.

“Kenma, what did you find?” The healer didn’t pause his preparations for a potion, but he did slow down considerably. He looked to be considering how to respond, which did not help Shouyou’s nerves whatsoever. After what seemed like eons, Kenma responded, albeit uncertainly.

“The disease that ails your sister...have you been to Thorn Ridge in the past three weeks?” Shouyou nodded, confused as to where this line of questioning was headed. “There’s a certain poisonous caterpillar there. We thought it went extinct. Natsu must have come in contact with the poison, somehow. It is easily transmittable, so anyone who has come into contact with the infected area will receive similar effects. The cure used back then hasn’t been found again for centuries, so I am attempting to create another version using herbs.” Shouyou frowned.  
“What is the cure? Maybe I can find it.” Kenma glanced at Shouyou in apology. His friend was desperate to help, but there was nothing the warrior could do.

“I’m sorry, Shouyou, but I can guarantee that this is one quest you can’t complete. There are many restrictions regarding how to find the cure.” Shouyou sighed. If there was nothing he could do, there was no point in staying. He wanted to watch over Natsu, but he didn’t think he could handle her with the care she deserves in her current state.

“Alright, Kenma. I leave her to you.” Kenma nodded his head in acknowledgement, and Shouyou turned away from Natsu’s cot and walked out of the infirmary. Kenma watched him go, but returned to his potion the moment the green cloaked man slipped around the corner. There was no time to waste, if the disease truly progressed as fast as it stated in the book. Natsu might end up dead in the next week, and those she had infected, in the days following.

Not a day had passed since Shouyou had brought Natsu in, and already, two more patients had been brought on. One was Natsu’s teacher and the other was her best friend. Kenma had spent the whole night mixing herbs into potions and testing them on Natsu, but none of them had any effect. He was no closer to creating a cure and had exhausted every possible combination of herbs he could think to help remedy the symptoms. Natsu’s condition continued to worsen, but at a steady decline. She most likely had a week left if Kenma could not figure out how to save her and the others. He didn’t have the time or luxury to research books in the old town library for alternative cures. His only option left was to attempt to pursue the cure listed in the book.

He found his apprentice Hitoka near the river, resting in the shade of a maple tree while she sorted through categories of herbs she had collected. Tentatively, he called out for her, and she jerked up in surprise and slight fear until she recognized Kenma at the top of the hill. A smile stretched across her face and she waved at him to come down.

“Kozume-san, why are you here? Doesn’t the shop need to be attended?” Hitoka rambled on with her questions, not even giving Kenma the chance to reply. She gasped suddenly. “Oh, do I need to handle that, Kozume-san? Do you think I’m truly ready to take care of the shop?” Kenma could see that Hitoka was getting far too flustered, and he mustered up his social behavior and stopped her.

“No Yachi-chan, I am not leaving you in charge of the shop alone. I’ve asked Shibayama-kun to help as well. I must leave for some time to find a special herb for the new outbreak spreading across the village. Please, can you take care of the patients while I am gone? They will need lots of attention, and I’m sorry for asking so much of you…,” Kenma trailed off awkwardly, but was saved when Hitoka lit up in happiness.

“I would be honored if you trusted me to take care of your patients while you are one, Kozume-san. I will give them the best care possible!” Hitoka bowed her head with such determination, Kenma felt certain it would rip off. He waved off Hitoka’s gratitude, saying he would take his leave now, since the place he needed to travel to was far away. Once he was out of sight, Kenma sighed and headed towards Shouyou’s house to inform of the current events.

Shouyou looked surprised to see Kenma at his doorstep, but that didn’t stop his hospitality, and he invited him inside, where Tobio was already seated. Kenma stood awkwardly, unsure where to sit; there was a couch for two and a single seater, and while he didn’t want to sit by Tobio for fear of having to talk to him, he also didn’t want to take the single seater in case Shouyou would prefer it. The decision was made for him when Shouyou went to sit beside Tobio, leaving the single seater to him. When they were comfortable, Shouyou spoke up.

“Why are you here, Kenma? Not that I’m unhappy to see you, but I thought you would be busy.” Kenma flinched when he was reminded of how he should be busy working.

“I came to talk about that. The potions I made aren’t working. I’ll need to go on a journey to find the cure, but I’ll be back before a week has passed.” Shouyou looked uneasy.

“Where are you going?”

“Crimsonwood.” There was no point in lying; Shouyou deserved to know.

“You might die.” It was a quiet truth, the first words Tobio had spoken since Kenma had entered the room.

“Tobio’s right, Kenma. What if that happens? One of us should come with you to protect.” Kenma was shaking his head even before Shouyou had finished.

“Don’t worry about me, Shouyou. I already have an idea of someone who owes me some favors that will agree. I just wanted you to know the plan, since, well your sister is in the most danger.” Shouyou’s cheeks drained of some of their blood, and Kenma didn’t miss how Tobio’s hands tightened around Shouyou’s. Shouyou took some time to collect himself and Kenma waited until he spoke again.

“Alright. Come back safe, Kenma. Lots of people are depending on you.” It was a grim declaration Shouyou made, but it was true, and Kenma set his face into what he hoped passed for resoluteness. He left Shouyou’s house with more trepidation than he thought acceptable.

The journey would most likely take about three days to and back, if his partner showed up, so Kenma only packed a simple brown satchel with that many days provisions, as well as two bottles of water and a backup robe. He switched out his white one for a mud stained brown cloak and left Crow Valley wondering if his gamble would pay off.

The path that would lead to Crimsonwood was simple, untrodden and overrun with plant life. It would take about a day to get there, and after taking a quick look at the sky, Kenma calculated it would take about a day, so he would reach there by high sun tomorrow. It gave him more than enough time to question his own sanity.

The cure he was trying to find was “dust from a unicorn’s horn.” Only a small pinch of it mixed into a glass of water would be enough to cure one person, and a small vial would be enough for a village. He should take more than one though, he thought, in case of future emergencies that required unicorn horn dust. It was an incredibly rare material, because as far as Kenma’s knowledge went, unicorns were gone. Whether they had hidden themselves or had died out, Kenma couldn’t give up the hope that at least one was alive and could be found. If one lone creature had survived, he would find it in Crimsonwood. The woods were a breeding ground of creatures of all types of alignments to good and evil due to the underground spring that fed the surrounding land with magic-infused water. The unicorn would dwell there for safety.

The moon rose in the sky as night fell. Shadows grew in the edges of his vision, and Kenma caught himself unconsciously fingering his gold bracelet out of nervousness. He waited until there was no trace of the red and purple sunset before he unhooked the bracelet and lay the chain on the ground. The moment he removed his hands, the chain flashed and turned silver. He waited on the road for who he knew would come.

He wasn’t made to wait for long. A second shape, unrecognizable in the lack of light, came out of the sparse trees lining the road. Not a sound was made by his footfalls, as if a cat in human form. Kenma waited until the shape was right next to him before reaching back down to pick up his once again golden bracelet and hook it around his wrist. Not sparing the figure a second glance, Kenma continued down the path. It followed close behind, always two paces away.

Dawn broke over the horizon to his left before Kenma decided to stop again, a cluster of boulders nearby serving as his resting place. The trees had started the group together in the last few hours, so he knew Crimsonwood was nearing. To prove his point, distant howls arose in the breeze, faint but present. An unwanted shiver ran through him, and then he heard stifled laughter from behind. Kenma turned to look at the man who had appeared last night.

Kuroo Tetsurou was relatively tall, Kenma mused, but the trees around them dwarfed him in every way. His single visible eye glittered with mischief, the other hidden by his atrocious hair. He would vehemently deny it if anyone accused him of not trying to tame it, but Kenma remembers how he simply ignored his bedhead most days. Most likely because it helped hide his only outstanding difference from humans. His other eye was the color of a garnet, and the pupil slitted like a cat’s. He found his odd bangs convenient to hide his distinguishing feature, and so they both left it be. Tetsurou was not a well-known wizard, but that was because he was presumed dead.

Tetsurou’s insufferably smug grin was currently firmly in place, and Kenma shot him a disapproving look. He knew nothing would come of it, however, and was proved right when his grin stretched wider. For the first time since he joined Kenma last night, he spoke.

“So, Kenma, what are we doing heading towards Crimsonwood?” His tone was light and teasing, but Kenma felt the dark undercurrent of his question. The rising sun glinted off the gold chain that dangled from Tetsurou’s ear, looping from helix to lobe and then hanging freely. It was mesmerizing, Kenma though idly, avoiding the question. Tetsurou’s voice sharpened. “Kenma.” He breathed slowly to prolong his admission.

“There’s a disease spreading through Crow Valley. I’ve tried every possible combination of herbs to create a cure. My patients will die in less than a week if I can’t find a unicorn to create it. Kuro, I can’t let them die. I’m worried-terrified-that I can’t save them.” There wasn’t a single directly spoken plea, and Kenma didn’t beg for his help. Tetsurou stared at him, an almost imperceptible frown on his face. Not even a minute passed before he let out his breath, seeming to slump in resignation.

“I never had a choice. Your safety is my first priority, so if you’re going to Crimsonwood, I’ll accompany you.” His voice was stiff, but concern dripped from his words. They both remembered White Rapids too well, when Tetsurou’s had refused to take Kenma there for fear of him getting injured. Kenma had snuck out anyways, because the herb he needed could only be found in the conditions White Rapids provided, and had subsequently nearly died after falling into the rapids. His saving grace had been Tetsurou realizing where he was and coming to save him just before he reached the rocks of the rapids.

“Thank you.” Kenma didn’t speak afterwards, but thankfulness radiated from him palpably. Unspoken sentiments floated in the air between them until Kenma looked at the sun and started. “We have to go now, or else we’ll be late.” A self-satisfied smile stretched across the wizard’s face.

“I think I can be of assistance in that regard.” Kenma knew exactly how he could help him, but refused to speak. He would rather avoid Tetsurou using his magic, which was why he hadn’t spoken of it before. His hesitance must have shown, because Tetsurou rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry so much, Kenma. My mania is under control now, and the first time I changed, I was not at fault.”

He couldn’t forget how the liquids mixed on Tetsurou’s face, scarlet blood mixing with clear tears and leaving it to become a tinted shade of the two, when the pain of growing horns on his head became too much. But he wasn’t crying. Kenma remembered with growing horror how Tetsurou’s entire face was slack, unseeing eyes fixed on the ground while his red eye changed. Lime green had filled the iris, the contrast between the two colors startling. His pupil split in two concentric rings, sharp cerulean and a violent purple. It was only when the changes were completed that Tetsurou blinked. The breath caught in Kenma’s throat when Tetsurou looked at him, no recognition in his eyes and a psychotic smile on his face. He didn’t realize that the sensations he felt were phantom feelings, a remnant of the past, and that he was stuck in his memories. Tetsurou shook him back to reality.

“Hey. I’ll be okay, Kenma. It’s been four years, and I’ve been practicing. I know my limits, and a simple transportation spell will do virtually nothing,” he reassured with his hands still gripping Kenma’s shoulders, as if to ground him in this plane of existence. Kenma looked away from the sincerity written on his face, but nodded.

“Be careful.”

The wizard pulled a short dagger out of his robe and swiftly cut a thin line into the inside of his wrist. Tetsurou ignored the wince that crossed Kenma’s face, waiting for the blood to start welling out of his veins. Once he was satisfied with how much he had, he used the blood as ink to draw a rune on his hand. Tetsurou spoke the incantation for the spell, holding his hand out in front of him, palming facing up. As he continued, tendrils of red trailed up like smoke and the rune began to glow. In the blanks of the transportation spell where the objects wished to be transported were named, Tetsurou used their given names rather than their true ones. At the end of the spell, he pushed his palm forwards at an invisible foe, and Kenma felt his senses melt away.

The feeling of transporting was not sudden, but rather a gradual process of losing and regaining awareness. Kenma knew that the moment the spell finished, he lost all physical substance as his being was moved through space. But sensations were slower to leave. His sight of the trees and sky went first, followed by the feel of solid ground under him. He never noticed his sense of smell, but in the space they moved through, he clearly noticed the absence of tangible and sweet air. The slight wind that whistled through the trees and past his ears was last to go, and then the pressing emptiness filled him. After a few seconds, which strained Kenma’s sanity more than he remembered it being able to, new senses appeared. Here, the wind blew through more trees, amplifying the rustling from before. The smell was electric, like the aftermath of lightning in a storm, and springy grass rising above his ankles, cushioned his feet as he materialized in front of Crimsonwood.

His first look at the woods in four years was of looming trees, untouched for centuries by man’s destruction, casting shadows that engulfed him in more ways than one. The energy from the woods thrummed through Kenma, reminding him that it was alive, in a way that forests normally were not.

They stood there, just outside the forest’s reach, for some time, until the aching pressure of their task pushed them forward. The forest opened up before them, as if it had never closed to begin with, remembering their energy as if it had only been yesterday when they had first come. Time was fickle in such a way.

“We’ll need to be careful,” Tetsurou murmured as an afterthought. “Even though Crimsonwood accepts out energy and wants to assist us, its aid could do more harm than good. Stay wary, and don’t eat or drink anything you see.” Kenma nodded absently, having already ingrained the rule in his mind. It was the one rule you couldn’t forget, lest you wander the trees for the rest of your life. They entered the forest with a small feeling of dread prickling their skin.

Kenma lost track of time while walking through Crimsonwood, although it wouldn’t have mattered much anyways. They were at the mercy of the forest, and could only hope that when they came out it would still be the same time as when they entered. The trees were all imposing statues, varieties of different deciduous and coniferous mixing together at want and will. No animals could be seen or heard; they all knew better than to stay out in the open in this forest. They continued travelling, not a single worthwhile moment to occur. That was when Kenma saw the lights.

Flickering white orbs glowed in the gloom, floating almost three feet off the ground. When he got closer, however, Kenma realized what he had mistaken for simple spheres of light were actually balls of fire the size of his fist. As he stepped towards them cautiously, Kenma heard Tetsurou breathe sharply, no doubt about to berate him for stepping away from their route before the sight of the floating objects had caught his attention.

“Kenma, don’t-,”

“They’re arranged in a line, Kuro,” Kenma interrupted, smoothly talking Tetsurou’s fears despite his quieter voice. “We should follow them.” Tetsurou clenched his jaw, assessing the lights, pulling information from his mind about the legends surrounding the balls of fire hovering in front of them. Kenma watched his expression shift from wary to thoughtful, knowing that with Tetsurou’s larger knowledge of the magical world, whatever verdict he came to was final.

“Normally, will o’ the wisps are malevolent, said to be the souls of the dead seeking vengeance. They would attempt to kill us if we follow them.” Tetsurou paused for a moment, thinking carefully. “However, there are a few records where the wisps aimed to help. Because of this, white wisps are considered ‘good’, while the typical red wisps are considering ‘bad’. And Crimsonwood doesn’t see us as threats. I suppose we can take that risk.”

The moment Kenma stepped on the path, he felt a crushing weight on his shoulders. It wasn’t because the path he was taking would lead him to his death, but rather the opposite; Crimsonwood was telling him that now that he had chosen it, stepping off this path would result in his death until he completed his quest. Suppressing the shiver that threatened to overtake him, Kenma hunched his shoulders and continued, Tetsurou walking beside him unaffected.

Each step on grass and plants that had never been touched was like walking on needles. They were intruding, that much they were aware of, even if Crimsonwood had given its permission and the help was of the wisps was direly needed. The light from above, whatever little was able to filter through the trees, was now blocked out by the thick tree cover as they followed the trail the wisps led them on. The shadows loomed closer, ominously trailing in the wake of each ball.

At some point, Kenma got the feeling of being watched, but when he glanced around surreptitiously, he didn’t find any signs of being followed. He grabbed the large sleeve of the cloak Tetsurou wore, pulling him to a stop.

“I have this feeling. I think we’re being followed,” he said quietly, answering Tetsurou’s silent question. The other man glanced around as well, but he must have seen something Kenma hadn’t, because his eyes widened almost imperceptibly as he reached over to grip Kenma.

“Don’t look at it. It’s not acting hostile yet, but it’s impossible to tell for sure with wild creatures. We’ll keep walking, and I’ll put up an illusion spell, the advanced kind, because that beast has eyes the size of those tea cup saucers.” Kenma refused to shudder in response to his words, but the image in his mind was making the action more and more appealing. Almost lazily, Kenma began walking with Tetsurou again, keeping his eyes trained on the string of wisps they were following. He saw Tetsurou slice his wrist out of the corner of his eyes, hiding the knife from the sight of the beast watching, and beginning the long and complex incantation for the illusion spell that would hide them from sight and smell. Kenma scowled when he saw the cut Tetsurou made had sliced through the scab that had formed over the previous one. He’d have to get Tetsurou to let him heal his cut this time.

“I’m done now,” Tetsurou updated him, still whispering. Kenma only hummed noncommittally in response, holding out his hand for the wizard to put his wrist in. Tetsurou frowned, but accepted Kenma’s help after seeing his tight expression. “You know I don’t like it when you exert yourself for me.”

“You know I don’t like you hurting yourself so excessively for a spell.” Kenma shot back, completing the healing spell. The fear from earlier still wandered through him, and the thought of Tetsurou having to face that creature, perhaps later, chilled him to his core. Lost in these thoughts, Kenma thoughtlessly, far too naturally, chastely kissed the light scar on the wrist he held.

They froze in realization, afraid to move and break the peaceful bubble that had allowed them to lower their guard. Kenma let go, fixing his eyes on the ground to avoid the searching gaze. Not even enough time passed for him to examine the nearby shrubs before Tetsurou sighed and turned away, the shuffling of his boots indicating his movement.

“We can talk about this later, Kenma. Let’s finish what we came here to do.” His tone was soft, barely above a whisper. There was something lost in it, as if something had confused him. Kenma followed him silently.

They continued on their way, a new tension between them, sticking to the trail laid by the wisps. The further they went, Tetsurou began feeling heavier. Every step was a new weight added to him, and after less than two hundred steps, he stopped, unable to walk any further or fear collapsing. The healer turned to him, a frown already gracing his face at the sudden break he took. The expression on Tetsurou’s face made him pause.

“It’s the presence of the unicorn.” Tetsurou spoke before Kenma could ask, a wry smile contrasting with his drawn brows and sweaty face. “It rejects the impure forms of magic, and, well, it just so happens blood magic falls under that category.”

“Would it be easier if I helped?” The blood mage glanced up in surprise, blinking away the sweat dripping into his eyes. It was an unexpected offer, but the crushing reality overcame him again, and with a groan of pain, he accepted Kenma’s outstretched hand. Immediately, he felt a strong relief overcome him, and it was possible for him to once again straighten his figure without feeling like a mountain rested on him.

“Ah, you didn’t have to, Kenma.” The healer tugged him closer to where the unicorn would be, quiet for the time being. He missed the words Kenma spoke, so soft they could be mistaken for the wind.

“I don’t like seeing you in pain.”

Helping Tetsurou like this was depleting his energy, much faster than Kenma would like to admit. The mental strain was making is vision fuzzy and mind sluggish, and he almost tripped a few times on rocks that he didn’t see until the last minute. It was almost as if he was a dehydrated man in a desert, and seeing a clearing up ahead was his oasis.

The wisps circled the clearing, so if they hadn’t figured it out already, they would know that this was the spot where they were meant to wait. The unicorn stood in the center, regality and ferality exuded at once; it was still a wild creature, no matter how majestic it looked. If a creature without facial muscles could look displeased, the unicorn managed to do so. The presence of Tetsurou clearly irked it, but not enough to warrant ignoring them entirely. Seeing a creature thought to be extinct was a shock to Tetsurou’s system, and he stood still as a statue, taking in the sight before him. It wasn’t until Kenma began moving forward again that he was shaken from his reverie, clenching tightly around the hand in his own.

The two of them hardly knew what to say, awed into silence. How did one speak to a creature of such power? Kenma didn’t pursue the thought further, hearing a sudden rustling of the surrounding trees and bushes. A low growl rumbled through the air, causing the unicorn to raise its head in preparation to fight the source of the sound that had sent Kenma’s muscles trembling. In the back of his muddled mind, Kenma thought he remembered that predators are attracted to sudden movements, so he painstakingly turned around, watching for the beast. His worst nightmares couldn’t compare to what he saw.

The beast was shaped, if vaguely, like a lion, but the similarities were hardly there to begin with. Scaly feet with a snake skin texture and tough as claws, a thick set neck and vicious teeth crammed into a snout below calculating emerald eyes, rippling muscles under a layer of hair, a lashing tail that seemed to have a mind of its own, not like a cat’s, but a thin whip come to life. He saw all of this in the mere second he let his eyes travel over the beast, and then he squeezed them shut, blocking out the scene he knew would occur. He brought up his hands to cover his ears before the pained screams of the unicorn as the creature tore into it could reach him, and he forgot about why he had been holding Tetsurou’s hand until the mage crumpled to the ground the moment Kenma’s magic stopped helping him, a groan escaping his lips.

It was all Kenma could do to mentally block out the fight next to them, everything around him spinning when he touched Tetsurou again, taking away a large amount of the pressure on him immediately that resulted in an equally exhausting energy drain. If anything, he welcomed the thundering of the blood rush he felt, because when he recovered from his daze after what felt like a full day, the fight had come to an end. The unicorn lay, bleeding golden blood that stained the grass the same nauseating shade, and splatters of blood so dark they looked black were all that remained of the other creature. Unsteadily, Kenma helped Tetsurou stand up, who no longer felt the effects of the presence of the dead unicorn. Neither of them said anything, merely standing silently over the corpse of the unicorn in respect, until Tetsurou took out his knife and began sawing off the coveted horn they had come all this way to collect. Absently, Kenma took the horn from Tetsurou, pulling out a cloth to wrap it in before placing it delicately inside his satchel.

“Let’s go.” Tetsurou gripped Kenma’s wrist lightly, avoiding any harsh movements that might startle him. His own mentality wasn’t as great, but he had to remain a pillar for Kenma to lean against. ‘Until he’s grounded himself again.’

Crimsonwood must have felt generous to them that day, because they only had to walk for ten minutes before they saw an opening to the world beyond. By now, Kenma had begun to shake off the vestiges of his shock, but even though both he and Tetsurou knew this, Kenma chose to continue holding Tetsurou’s hand. He wasn’t sure when he would get the chance again. They emerged from the forest to see a scene similar to when they entered, but Kenma couldn’t help but doubt whether this was really their own time period. Tetsurou felt the slight tightening of Kenma’s grip on his hand, and he quickly searched for a way to comfort him.

“How about I use a speed rune? Using a teleportation rune may be too much for us right now, but we’ll cut our travel time to a day if we go fast enough.” When he didn’t receive any arguments, a small smile curled up one side of his face. “Alright, hang on to me. Wouldn’t want to lose you in the middle of the trip.” A mirroring smile spread over Kenma’s face despite himself.

By the time Crow Valley appeared, the sun was beginning its splendid display of hues of pink, orange, and purple. Kenma was practically asleep on his feet, and it tugged at Tetsurou’s heart to see him so vulnerable. His friend– were they still friends, or were they something more? –rarely showed any form of vulnerability these days, after the trouble his weakness had caused in the past. No matter how many times Tetsurou said it wasn’t his fault, Kenma still took all the blame. He let him sleep until they entered the village, but after looking around helplessly, he shook Kenma awake gently, reluctant to break his sleep.

“Hmm?” The response was barely intelligible, but experience told Tetsurou it was a question about what he was needed for.

“Kenma, I don’t know where you shop is. Would you mind taking us there?”

Kenma has some difficulty interpreting the request, but when it finally registers, he draws himself up so that he’s standing on his own, and Tetsurou mourns the loss of Kenma’s comforting warmth on his arm. “Yeah, I’ll lead us.” The healer tried not to think about how comfortable Tetsurou was.

The bell sung its sweet tune as Kenma pushed his way into the shop, and he hadn’t even set a foot in the shop before a voice called out from the back room where Kenma’s infirmary was set up. “I’m sorry, we aren’t able to assist you right now. Our healer is out, and we have no prior appointments-”

“-Yachi-chan, it’s me.” There was a pause, and then the sound of feet running reached the two figures in the front of the counter. Hitoka’s head peaked out from the doorway leading to the back, and she broke into a wide smile when she saw Kenma.

“Kenma-san! It really is you!” Hitoka started talking about how happy she was to see him again when she noticed Tetsurou behind him, and she trailed off as her face paled a little. “Uh, who are you?”

Tetsurou smirked a little, narrowing his eyes at Kenma slyly as he did so. “Aw, Kenma, you never mentioned me. I feel offended. Well, small crow, I’m Kuroo Tetsurou, an old friend, and I’m the one who helped Kenma achieve his goal. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Kenma frowned at Tetsurou’s introduction, turning to reprimand him, but Hitoka timidly spoke before he could.

“Wait, so that means you found the horn?” Disbelief bled into her enthusiasm, but Kenma nodded and carefully pulled out the horn from his satchel. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go and make the cure! Shibayama-kun is preparing tea for the patients, and they all seem stable at the moment, but we don’t want them to get worse.”

“Alright, alright, Yachi-chan.” Kenma turned back to Tetsurou. “Kuro, will you stay and help?”

“Why not? I don’t have anywhere better to be than by your side.” He might have imagined the blush that colored the healer’s ears.

Kenma enlisted Yuuki and Tetsurou in grinding half the unicorn horn into powder while he and Yachi kept the patients comfortable. The two of them worked around each other, both at ease in the other’s space, having spent so much time together training for when Yachi could help out full time.

When Yuuki fell back in his seat, groaning about his sore muscles, Kenma took that as a sign that they were finally finished. It was a much more arduous process than they originally anticipated, and it took until the daybreak for them to get the job done.

“Thank you, Shibayama-kun. I’ll finish making the cure by myself, why don’t you and Yachi-chan get some rest while Kuro helps me?”

“Ah, thank you, Kozume-san!” He was quick to gather his things together, waving goodbye to the two healers and leaving quickly. Hitoka took her time, and she bowed quickly to both of them before leaving.

After they were gone, Kenma stood where he was, closing his eyes and collecting himself for a few precious seconds, before opening them again to see Tetsurou’s face right in front of his own. He blinked before remarking drily, “If you wanted to kiss me, you could have just asked.” Tetsurou’s eyes widened, and a shocked giggle forced its way out of his mouth, which then turned into full blown laughter. He waited patiently while his friend’s– more than a friend? –cackles subsided and watched him wipe imaginary tears from his eyes.

“Aw, I missed this side of you Kenma. The real question is, would you want me to kiss you?” Kenma’s blush reached his cheeks this time, and he swatted at Tetsurou halfheartedly, refusing to answer.

“Just help me mix a pinch of the powder into each cup of tea.”

“Yes sir.” It didn’t stop Tetsurou from giving him a cheerful peck on the top of his head, but Kenma couldn’t bring himself to mind. Once they mixed the powder into the tea, the two of them walked around, calmly shaking patients awake in order to have them drink the cure. They let them sleep immediately afterwards, giving their bodies time to ingest the cure and work its magic. In the silence, after all the patients had drunk the tea, they talked. About anything and everything, what Tetsurou did while he was away, what Kenma did in the shop, what they were now and what they used to be.

“Will you stay? After this is over.” His voice is quiet, unwilling to break the peace that settled over them. Tetsurou didn’t respond for a while, staring at the opposite wall as he searched his thoughts.

When he answers, it’s to say, “It depends. Is that something you want?”

Without a shred of hesitation, “Yes.”

“Then I will. All you ever had to do was ask.”

It was simple, after that, to fall into their routine of affection and love. As if they never had to part, as if Tetsurou never had to leave for Kenma’s own safety, as if the past was a distant memory that no longer held them its claws.

When Natsu woke up, a little before noon, groggy and with a sore throat but otherwise no worse for wear, Kenma thought things were finally straightening out in his life again.

**Author's Note:**

> so this is an exchange fic for the fantasy haikyuu exchange, and my giftee was avesyna on tumblr. i hope you enjoyed it! the creatures i worked with were the unicorn, will o' the wisps, and wizard (tetsurou). this was a lot of fun for me, i hope you enjoyed reading it!


End file.
